Field
The present specification generally relates to imaging systems and, more particularly, to imaging systems that dynamically characterize one or more obscurants within an environment to increase the signal to noise ratio and extract the signal effectively.
Technical Background
Imaging systems utilize a sensor comprising an array of pixels to create a digital image of a scene. Optical radiation that is either emitted by a target or reflected by the target is received by the imaging system as optical radiation signal representing the target. However, obscurants present between the imaging system and the target may obscure the target by scattering optical radiation and creating noise by their own self-emissions and scattering from other radiation sources, in addition to attenuating the signal optical radiation through absorption or scattering. Obscurants may include, but are not limited to, smoke, sand/dust, fog, rain, clouds, snow, and smog. Optical radiation, such as light from the sun, may be reflected and redirected by particles of the obscurant, which is then received by the imaging system as noise. In some instances, the target may be substantially obscured by the obscurant due to significant noise optical radiation and resulting in low signal to noise ratio.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative imaging systems that can image a target through one or more obscurants by increasing a signal to noise ratio.